One of the most influential albums ever released in hip-hop, Jay Z’s Black Album is a landmark achievement for its creator. It was the last album Jay Z released under his original contract with Def Jam Recordings, one he made because he wanted to end on a high note before his time with the label came to an end. And while there are some weaker moments on Black Album that break up its flow, it is an undeniable artistic triumph that still stands tall over two decades after its release. In honor of this legendary release's 20 year anniversary, we're going to dive deep into what makes Black Album such a monumental achievement in hip-hop and music as a whole. Black Album is one of the best hip-hop albums of all time, even if some have forgotten that over the years. On this album, Jay Z put together a tight selection of his best songs. He deals with personal issues on songs like "Song Cry" and "December 4th", stories about him growing up in Marcy Projects on songs like "U Don't Know" and "Can I Get A...", brags about his wealth on songs like "La La La", and talks about his past drug dealing days on songs like "'03 Bonnie And Clyde". While not every song is top tier, Jay Z included at least one high point for almost every subject matter he discusses on Black Album. The album also features a few notable guest verses from some of hip-hop's most influential artists. On "Song Cry", Jay Z raps over a sample from the Isley Brothers' song "Shout", which is an early rhythmic masterpiece. On "December 4th", he has DMX and Beanie Sigel join him on the song, which is arguably the most violent point in his career. Both of these songs are classics in their own right, but neither of them came close to matching the greatness of "La La La" or "Renegade". In a sense, Jay Z's best verses on Black Album come in his two collaborations with Kanye West. Jay Z and Kanye were working on their Watch The Throne album at the same time. While Jay Z's contributions to Watch The Throne are solid, Kanye's beats on Black Album are what make those songs as great as they are. "La La La" sounds like a Lost Boyz song from the 90s, and "Renegade" has a classic beat that builds as it evolves throughout its length. These two songs alone make Black Album worth revisiting every now and then. Another aspect of Black Album that helps keep it fresh is its sequencing. The album starts out with the four most serious tracks on the record, and then it goes into a more fun, lighter section of songs that follows up with "Renegade". While "Song Cry" is a strong start to Black Album, I feel that Jay Z missed his mark in the main body of the album. The sequencing is good overall, but there are some songs that don't work as well as others. The second half is where things really start to improve for me. "Can I Get A..." is a classic freestyle from Jay Z and one of his best known tracks about growing up in Marcy Projects. 8eeb4e9f32 46
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